


9. Miscommunication

by love_write_edit_sleep



Series: Child's Play (DBH 31 Fic Challenge) [9]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Kid!RK900, M/M, This is kinda crap sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 23:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15695193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_write_edit_sleep/pseuds/love_write_edit_sleep
Summary: Richard catches half a conversation between Matthew and Gavin, the wrong half.





	9. Miscommunication

When Matthew awoke, he was surprised to find himself on the living room floor of Gavin’s apartment with Richard curled into his side. He smiled, his LED flickering green for a moment as he gently brushed a tuft of hair from Richard’s eyes.

“Morning, sunshine.” Richard looked up to see Gavin on the couch with his DS. “You fell asleep, I told Connor it was fine for you to stay here. I bet neither of you got much fucking sleep recently anyway.”

“Thank you.” Matthew nodded gratefully.

“You’re really good with him.” Gavin indicated to Richard.

“I… like children.” Matthew smiled. “It is a part of my programming to care for children, so I suppose my fondness for them has stemmed from there.”

“You want kids?”

“Maybe.” Matthew whispered. “Yes.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.” Matthew smiled. “I enjoy playing with Richard.”

“You know, they have jobs and stuff in nurseries or schools, if you wanna be near children.”

“That is a good idea.” Matthew smiled. “It does sound better than being a proofreader.”

“A what?”

“A proofreader. I get sent articles, scripts, stories, a lot of media. I correct grammar and spelling mistakes.”

“Wait, how? You don’t use contractions.”

“I cannot say them. I can write them.”

“So, what, you like… do them in your head?”

“Yes. I can open files and work on them at any time.”

“And you enjoy that?”

“It… pays the bills.”

“Buddy, you gotta find something you love and go for it.” Gavin rolled his eyes.

“Is that what you did?”

“Yeah.” Gavin muttered. “After my Dad, I wanted to put away any asshole I could get my hands on, help people, save lives, that sorta shit. I worked on a few floors but now I’m on homicide.”

“Do you remember any of your previous cases?”

“Yeah. There was one… I’ll never forget. I went to question a man about his whereabouts for a murder one night… When I turned up at the house, I heard screaming, so I snuck around the house and looked through the window. The guy was hitting his wife. She was trying to stop him hurting her teenage kid and he was screaming… So I broke in, shot the guy in the leg and took the woman and her boy to a shelter.”

“That sounds like a horrible position to be in… You are a good man, Gavin.”

“Shh, don’t let anyone hear you say that!”

“Too wate.” Richard yawned. “Mowning…”

“Morning.” Gavin smiled. “You okay?”

“Warm…” Richard muttered. Matthew chuckled.

“Good morning, Richard.”

“Mowning.” Richard sat up. “Oops, we fell asweep.”

“We did.”

“Good thing you ain’t human, your backs would be fucking killing you.” Gavin chuckled. “You guys want breakfast?”

“Yes pwease.” Richard giggled. “I’m gonna get dwessed, okay?”

“Okay.” Gavin watched as Richard ran off to his room. “You want breakfast, Math?” He asked as the AP700 stood and brushed the creases out of his clothes.

“If it is not an inconvenience.”

“Course not.” Gavin shrugged. “You’re family, nothing’s an inconvenience when it comes to family.”

“I am family?”

“Jesus, Matthew, you’re as bad as Connor. You’ve been family for 2 fucking years.” Gavin blushed. “Just… What do you want? Thirium or food?”

“Either is fine.”

“Fine, I’ll make some toast with thirium jam for you and Richard.” Gavin muttered. Matthew followed the man through to the kitchen.

“How are you feeling?”

“What?”

“About raising Richard.” Matthew clarified as he sat down at the table. Neither noticed Richard in the door frame. “You were struggling when you called yesterday.”

“I fucking hate it, Matthew…” Gavin sighed as he prepared the breakfast. “I fucking hate kids, you know? I never wanted kids, I _swore_ that I would never raise a kid, then Elijah chucked this bombshell on me and told me he fucking ‘owed me’, like it was a good thing! It’s not! I mean, half the time I think about sending him back to CyberLife.”

Richard gasped, his hand moving to clutch his chest.

Gavin was hurting his heart…

He turned and ran. He didn’t want Gavin to hate him anymore.

“But… While I hate it, it’s teaching me a lot… you know? Like… we’re a family and we’re all here for each other, and that I’d never send him away. I love him too much. And… I think I’m learning more about him through his play, you know? He draws pictures and stuff and I’ve never seen him so emotive. It’s good for him. I’m really proud of him for accepting the programming and stuff.”

“I think you are both doing a good job.”

“Me too, actually.” Gavin smiled. “I mean, I slipped up a few times but being a parent is new to fucking everyone at some point, right? A-and Richard’s not scared of me, so I must be doing some shit right… Like, he loves me, he’s said so before… So… I’m not that bad, right?”

“I do not believe you are as bad as you feel.” Matthew assured him.

“I… I kinda love him like this, you know? As a kid? He’s fucking adorable and he’s emotive and, I-I didn’t know he had such a big imagination, or his hero-worship for Connor and Markus, or that he saw Hank as his Dad. I-It’s got to be fucking hard for him but he’s dealing really well…”

Gavin sighed, handing a plate of toast over to Matthew.

“And I… I think I’m understanding him more… I miss him, sure… Like… Some nights, I wanna curl up next to him and cry or kiss him or do ‘boyfriend’ things, and I can’t because he’s a kid… Like, I don’t know. I’m glad he’s here, but I miss him…”

“It is difficult for both of you.”

“And… maybe I changed my mind about not wanting kids…”

“Really?”

“Yeah…” Gavin put another plate of toast down on the table. “Richard! Breakfast’s ready!” Gavin sat with his own plate of buttered toast, taking a bite and pondering over what he’d just said. He glanced up. “Richard?”

“I will go and look for him.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Matthew stood. “I will be a moment.”

“Okay.”

* * *

“Richard?” Matthew knocked on the bedroom door before opening it. “Are you in here?”

_“No.”_

Matthew smiled sadly, rummaging through his database.

**_Common children’s hiding places:_ **

 

  * **_**_Under beds_**_**


  * **_Under covers_**


  * **_In wardrobes_**


  * **_Behind curtains_**



 

“Are you alright?” Matthew asked, kneeling down to check under the bed. He smiled when he found the child curled up, clutching Kadie to his chest. “Are you alright?” He repeated, sliding under the bed to talk to Richard better. Richard shook his head, tears threatening to spill.

“Gabin doesn’t like me…”

“That is not true…” Matthew whispered. “Come here…” Richard didn’t need telling twice. He nuzzled closer to Matthew, burying his face in Matthew’s chest.

“It is twue.” Richard sniffed. “He said so.”

“Richard, were you listening to us in the kitchen?”

“Yeah. I got sad so I left.”

“Then you did not hear the rest of the conversation. May I transfer it to you?”

“Okay…” Richard whispered, holding his hand out. Matthew took his wrist and transferred the remainder of the conversation over to him. “Oh.”

“He is just nervous about raising you as a child after all he has been through, and he was not expecting to learn so much about you through this.”

“He wants me to be an adult again.”

“No, he misses you. There is a difference.”

“What the hell are you doing under there?” Matthew and Richard turned to see Gavin kneeling by the bed.

“I was assuring Richard that you do not hate him.”

“What the fu- Why would you think that? Did I do something wrong?” Gavin asked, crawling under the bed to join them. Richard shook his head.

“No, I heawd you and Maffew tawking and only heawd the bad bit.” Richard climbed over Matthew and snuggled against Gavin instead. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Richard.” Gavin whispered. “You want some breakfast?”

“Okay.”

* * *

_“Hello, Mr Hank. It is Matthew today, I hope you do not mind. I have sent Connor home to sleep. I doubt he has actually gone to your house, but he may have gone to my apartment. I shall check in a while._

_Connor misses you a lot. I hope you wake up soon… He is not the only one who misses you._

_Mr Hank, I do not think I ever told you this, but I have always admired you and seen you as a figure I can turn to to feel safe and secure… I feel that you accept me for who I am and I… I think I love you. Yes, I definitely love you. I have never said it to you before, but I will once you wake up._

_Please wake up soon…”_

**Author's Note:**

> The next fic is gonna feature Jerry to make up for this crappy chapter


End file.
